Rolling in the Deep
by Gina Callen
Summary: ' Deeks has a secret, will it split the team? For one Agent it may change their life.' "They will use everything they have against you." Hetty said to Deeks. Do you have anything you want to tell me, anything I need to know? "No." Deeks lied.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1.

"They will use everything they have against you." Hetty said to Deeks. "Do you have anything you want to tell me, anything I need to know?"

Deeks sat in the chair in front of Hetty's desk and ran a shaky hand over his face.

"No." He lied.

Deeks didn't talk to Kensi as he walked back to his desk and for his bag.

How could I.A. have gotten hold of that information.?

Bates had promised, as had every other LAPD chief of police since he had started, it had been his only prerequisite for the job.

When Hetty had offered him the job of LAPD Liaison it hadn't been on there, so he assumed that she didn't know. After all it wasn't...he hadn't ever let it interfere with his job and he wasn't about to let it start now.

Not even thinking he grabbed his bag and walked out of the building pulling out his cell phone to make a call.

He stopped as a car pulled to a stop beside him.

* * *

"Bates?" Deeks said surprised. "I didn't think you'd wanna be seen with me right now."

"He's out." Bates said flatly.

Deeks gulped and paled, "How? I thought we had him locked up for life? Someone tipped internal affairs off about you and your connection to him."

"I don't have any connection to _**him**_." Deeks snapped. "Hell, I helped put him away."

Bates turned off the ignition and climbed out of the car, "Deeks...You know what I mean….I think Fisk and Quinn met up on the inside, if they talked."

"If, what do you mean if!" Deeks stepped back from him incredulously. "You promised, if I helped you find the mole in the LAPD and take down Fisk, they would never meet!"

"They never would have, but Quinn was transferred due to an administrative error."

Deeks grabbed Bates and slammed him up against the car, "Administrative error!" he snarled, "You promised me, I'd be safe, they'd be safe...Having IA follow me puts NCIS in danger, it puts Kensi in danger." Deeks snapped.

"It puts you in danger too," Bates said putting a calming hand on Deeks' shoulder. "She's here."

Deeks stepped back for the first time fear showed on his face.

He shook his head, "No….No...you're wrong….she can't be here."

"You need to talk to Hetty, you need to tell her." Bates urged.

Deeks slammed him back up against his car and pulled his gun and held it in Bates' face.

"You do NOT tell them…!" He snapped. "She's dangerous...I…" A thought occurred to him and he lowered his gun. "How long has she been in Los Angeles?" He asked.

"A month...I'm sorry kid, I knew but I thought it was her usual flying visit to your father's grave."

"Her what?" Deeks asked confused.

"Every year since your father died in 1999, she's been to visit his grave, she watches you for a week and then leaves."

Deeks put his gun away, "And you never thought to tell me this?"

Bates shook his head, "No...Look, you made it clear where she stood with you when you came to work for me. I trusted you and you haven't let me down yet."

Deeks sighed, "I need to go...Kensi...she'll worry if I'm not back soon, keep an eye out for _**her**_ , if she comes near the team I'll deal with her, she's my problem not theirs."

"Deeks...Kid, I'm in your corner you know that, but I can't stop the IA investigation, it's been put in motion too high up." Bates said as Deeks picked his bag back up. "Let me talk to Hetty, I'm sure she can help you."

Deeks shook his head, "It's my problem...Just...tell Hetty what you need to about the I.A. investigation without mentioning '_that_' ok?"

Bates shrugged and walked to the car door, "Your loss kid." He said, climbed in and drove away.

Deeks laughed wryly as his boss drove off, "Yeah it will be." he remarked.

* * *

On a hill, not far away a woman put down her field glasses and smiled, "Soon….not yet boy but soon."

She looked at the photo's she had in a manila folder, three women and three men all her targets, then the last photo.

Deeks….she would not kill him, it was understood she would never harm him...not for physically, but emotionally, well….he owed her, he had ruined her life...she had done her duty to him, she had given him what he needed.

But he had not followed through. He would pay his debts even if he didn't like it.

* * *

Hetty sat at her desk, she had been trying to call Lieutenant Bates for over an hour, ever since Deeks and Kensi had left her office, her gut had been telling her that Deeks was holding something back and she didn't like it.

She was certain if she could just talk to Deeks' superior and find out what was behind all this maybe she could stop it at the source before any of her team were adversely affected.

She hadn't been convinced by the look in the detectives eye when she asked him if he were hiding something.

This I.A. detective Rivera was like a dog with a bone. She either had something or thought she had something that was so good she was willing to take on the might of a federal agency to bring him down.

She pulled up Deeks' service records and again she found nothing.

"Maybe I should look further back…" she mused aloud.

Callen looked up as he walked past her desk. "You ok Hetty?" he asked worried at the look of concern on her face.

"I fear that something may have been omitted from my files." she admitted.

"Can I help?" Callen asked, normally he wouldn't have asked but the worry on her face concerned him.

"No….no...you head on home Mr. Callen, maybe you could visit Mr. Deeks on your way home, today may have been rather….unsettling...for him."

Callen turned and sank into his favorite seat in her office and looked at the woman inquisitively.

"Because of the FBI guy being blown up? Like Jess Traynor?" he asked.

Hetty shook her head, "No Mr. Callen, because someone in LAPD has seen fit to make our Mr. Deeks the subject of an internal Affairs investigation and to make matters worse I do believe he is hiding something from me."

Callen nodded slowly, "You do know about Deeks and Kensi?" he asked. Although he didn't want his friends to be mad if he outed them he also didn't want Hetty to worry if that was all the blond detective was hiding.

Hetty smiled, "Of course Mr. Callen, I knew before they did."

Callen smiled back at her, "Of course…"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Callen pulled up outside of Deeks' apartment, he watched as he saw someone pass by the window.

Good, he thought, that means Deeks is in.

He got out of the car and jogged up the outside steps to Deeks' door, before it knocked the door flew open.

"Deeks! Where in the….!" Kensi trailed off as she saw Callen standing there. "Callen...I...Damn!" Kensi said and moved away from the door halfheartedly waving a hand for him to enter.

"You alright Kens?" Callen asked.

For a second Kensi nodded, then she shook her head, "No...but I will be as soon as I see Deeks." she admitted.

Callen sat on Deeks' couch and looked at her, "Hetty told me." He said.

Kensi looked surprised, "I thought you already knew." she said moving quickly to snatch up her bra she had left lying on the back of the chair.

Callen smirked but wisely said nothing as Monty came over and placed his head on G's knee.

"Where's your daddy huh?" Callen asked stroking the dog.

"I'm worried Callen, first we are followed all day by Rivera and now we find out that Deeks is being investigate by Internal Affairs." She sat in the chair and looked over at her friend and team leader, "I'm worried for him...he lied to Hetty…" she admitted.

Callen looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "How do you know he lied to Hetty?"

"I'm his partner...in more ways than one Callen and believe me you'd know if Joelle lied wouldn't you?"

Callen shrugged, Joelle never lied to him, and after him lying to her about his own background he would never lie to her again, but she couldn't tell when he was lying and he told Kensi so.

"Yes but you're an undercover agent, lying about who you are is second nature to you."

Callen bit the inside of his lip as the reminder stung a little, but he brushed it off.

"I can tell when Deeks is lying, I don't know if Hetty noticed, but...there was something. When Hetty asked if he had anything he should tell her, he said no…_**.NO!**_...He lied Callen!" Kensi got up and paced the room, "Then he leaves without waiting for me and he's not come home? What if there is something for Rivera to find?" Kensi sat back down and put her head in her hands.

"Do you trust him?" Callen asked her flatly.

Her head snapped up, "Yes?" She stopped and walked to the window looking out hoping he was just outside the window, "But Callen I'm scared for him and I don't like that."

Callen walked up to her and held her, "He'll be back soon." He promised.

* * *

Deeks didn't even go back to the mission, he walked off blindly towards the city, he wanted to disappear for a while, get lost in the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles...less chance of him being found by her.

He walked right by his apartment, saw the lights on and stopped. Looking up at the window he saw Callen holding Kensi.

He gave a small smile, he knew that Callen was there to hopefully comfort Kensi. He wasn't stupid enough to think his lie had got past her, but he hoped that she hadn't told them that she suspected him.

He took a step towards the apartment when a voice in the shadows stopped him.

"You really think they want you there?" The woman's voice cut through the night air.

Deeks shivered, "Why are you here?" he asked not turning round unable to tear his eyes away from the figure in the window.

"Why do you think boy?"

"You missed me?" Deeks quipped.

The woman laughed sourly, "Not likely…"

For a second a look of deep pain crossed Deeks' face, but still he didn't turn around.

"You cost our organization a lot of money...you cost me more…"

"Fisk is a criminal he belonged in jail!" Deeks spat.

"True...true," The woman agreed with him, "I am not really mad about that, I took over the operation and we expanded, I finally have the money and power I should have had years ago."

Deeks sighed, looking as a car pulled to a halt down the street. Whoever was in the car stayed there, on the phone. Deeks sighed with relief, he didn't want an innocent civilian caught in her crossfire, he knew that soon she'd probably put a bullet in his brain and he found he couldn't tear his eyes away from Kensi's silhouette, he wanted her to be the last thing he saw.

He heard the click of a gun behind him and closed his eyes…

"Nice don't you think?" she said holding it out for him to see.

Finally he turned and looked at her.

"What makes you think I won't take this and kill you?" he asked reaching and taking the gun from her grasp.

She smiled and stroked his cheek, despite himself he found himself leaning into her touch.

"You were never that bad...you still care."

He briefly closed his eyes, "I...I do…" he whispered.

She smiled coldly.

"It is a nice gun, new?" he asked hoping to take her attention away from the window where it had strayed.

She shook her head, "A present from your father." she turned it over feeling the weight and holstering it again, "My new husband doesn't like it, but...well, it has sentimental value."

"You got married again?" he asked genuinely surprised.

She nodded, "Fisk asked me once...but he was a bully, too much like your father, I would have ended up killing him too."

"You killed Da...Brandel?" Deeks asked again surprised.

"Cut the brakes on his car, topped up his club soda with Vodka, the rest was easy."

"Thanks." Deeks said sincerely.

"I didn't do it for you." She snapped.

Deeks chuckled, "No, I suppose not."

She took a step back and looked at him, "You've grown." she said matter of factly.

"Kids tend to do that." Deeks deadpanned.

"Do you have any?" she asked looking up again at the woman in his window.

"What you haven't got that in your little dossier you have on me?"

"Well…"

Deeks sighed, "Are you going to kill me Ma?" he asked.

"Maybe...but not yet, maybe not me...I have to do a job, I just wanted to catch up for old times sake."

"What old times?" Deeks snapped. "Last time I saw you I was six, you were leaving with Fisk."

"That's not true, I saw you when you were eleven, you took that bastard down." She put her hand on his arm with a smile as she saw a small flash of light from the car parked down the street.

"You left me with him!" Deeks shook her arm off.

"I had no choice, but I never deserted you." She countered.

"Sure as hell felt like it, if it wasn't for the Deeks' they took me in, I would have been alone."

"Who do you think sent them money for your education, your college."

"No one I earned my money." Deeks snapped.

She shook her head, "There was no scholarship, Fisk and I payed for your tuition, your degree in law."

"No...no you're lying, I worked I paid for my own…"

"Martin, I have never lied to you and I never will. Clarence Fisk paid for your college education, we helped you get into the LAPD."

Deeks shook his head, "No...why?!"

"Because I'm your mother."

Deeks laughed, "Really? That's all there was to it, so now you come looking to try to recruit me to Fisk's empire, not gonna happen."

This time his mother laughed, "Fisk is a has been, a wanna be...I took his empire and his money and made it my own."

"He'll kill you." Deeks stated genuine worry crossed his face.

"Not with the people I work with now. Now I serve a higher purpose. Thanks to my husband, I now understand that people like Fisk are a means to an end."

"Why are you here?" Deeks asked.

"Need to know son, and you don't." She said, she moved back into the shadows as one of Deeks' neighbors opened his door to let a cat out.

"Mom…" Deeks' voice cracked on the unfamiliar word.

"I have business here, I just wanted...I just wanted to warn you, take a vacation, leave LA."

"I can't I...mom?" Deeks turned as he realized that she had gone.

He placed his hands on his knees and leant forward slowly getting breath into his lungs.

* * *

He swiped at the tears he hadn't meant to shed and headed into his apartment.

"Deeks!" Kensi exclaimed as he opened the door.

"You were expecting anyone else?" he said with a smirk.

"Where have you been?" She asked worried.

Deeks shrugged, "I talked to Bates about the IA investigation," He said honestly. "Hey Callen." he said feigning surprise at his presence.

"Deeks." Callen took a swig from the beer Kensi handed him. "I heard about the investigation, Hetty told me, I just wanted to see if I could help at all?" he said.

Deeks shook his head, "Nope, they'll find nothing and then we'll just all go along as normal." he lied.

He missed Kensi's look to Callen, "Listen, I gotta hit the shower, stay...catch up with Kens," He laughed, "Watch Titanic with her, I won't be long."

He headed to the bedroom and Kensi waited until she heard the water running.

"See!" she sighed turning to Callen, "He's lying about something, you can see that right?"

He nodded, "Yeah, something is bothering him all right, do you want me to stay?"

Kensi shook her head, "No...he's home now, I'm sure he'll talk to me."

Callen nodded, stood up and handed her his bottle. "You call if you need me Kens, if he needs me. You guys aren't alone we all have your back."

Kensi smiled and let Callen out, she noticed as he got into his car that a car further down the street pulled out and headed away from the apartment.

Shrugging it off as paranoia she shut the door and headed back to the main room to wait to talk to Deeks.

* * *

Rivera pulled over and looked at the photos she had captured.

"Pay dirt!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kensi walked into the Mission and slammed her bag down on her desk.

"Bad night Kensi?" Sam asked.

"Nope." Kensi snapped looking pointedly at Deeks as he dropped his bag down and headed for a coffee. He looked dishevelled, well, more dishevelled than usual as he stalked past.

"What happened to him?" Sam asked.

"How would I know?" Kensi snapped, "He hasn't said a word to me since he came home last night...well actually that's not true, he did tell me to shut up in the car on the way here."

Sam glowered over at Deeks who was ladling sugar into his cup and stirring ferociously.

Sam stood up to go towards Deeks but found himself watching as Deeks suddenly turned and walked away from the small kitchenette and stalked down the hall.

Walking back to Kensi, Sam stopped and leaned against her desk. "Tell me what happened?" He asked concern in his voice.

"Hetty talked to us last night, there's some stuff going on concerning Deeks at LAPD, he's being investigated by internal affairs."

"Do you know why?" Sam asked.

Kensi shook her head, "No...not even Hetty knows, but Deeks says there's nothing they can find, but...I'm worried for him."

* * *

There was a loud whistle as Callen walked into the bullpen and put a file on his desk.

"Got a case!" Eric called as Deeks stalked past Kensi and headed up the stairs first.

They all filed in and Sam shot Deeks a look as he took up a spot furthest away as possible from Kensi.

Hetty raised an eyebrow but continued, "Mr. Deeks, I think it would be a good idea if you gave lieutenant Bates a call, you are not allowed to be part of this case."

"Why not Hetty? Is this because of the investigation?" Deeks moved towards the door, "I thought you had my back?"

Hetty looked at him sadly, "I do Mr. Deeks, but I fear that this case is too close to you. Especially now."

Deeks looked confused.

"Clarence Fisk was released yesterday due to a technicality in his arrest, This morning he was found shot; the body of a Marine was next to him."

Deeks took a step back and grasped the table.

"The Marine had been killed in the line of Duty in Iraq, his body was stolen last night from the morgue and placed with Mr. Fisk's remains."

Deeks went pale and looked down, "I'll go and call Bates." he said almost inaudibly.

He knew that Hetty was worried, he could see that, and calling Bates was protocol especially as the team sans him would need to liaise with LAPD. But his gut was churning and he knew that Bates would put it together. However if he didn't make the call…

He shook his head, he couldn't let Hetty down like that.

He looked up to Ops where he knew the team were getting the briefing and picked up his phone to call Bates.

* * *

"So Fisk was found this morning, an anonymous call to the LAPD tipped them off, caller said a man was seen running away. Coroner puts the time of death at about 11pm last night, forensics already have the murder weapon it was left at the scene, Mr. Callen you and Ms Blye need to go to LAPD and see Lieutenant Bates who will give you everything they have on the case so far. Mr. Hanna, I want you to check out the crime scene, for now I think it would be best if Mr. Deeks is kept away from the prying eyes of Detective Rivera."

They turned to go as Nell called to Hetty, "Hetty? LAPD have issued a warrant for Deeks' arrest for murder!"

The others looked at the screen in shock as Nell pulled the BOLO up and put it on screen.

"Mr. Callen, Ms Blye, Head to LAPD now and find out why they have issued this warrant, Mr. Hanna...Find Detective Deeks." she ordered.

The team left to to their ordered tasks.

* * *

Kensi worried and Callen quietly angry that one of his team members was being targeted arrived at the LAPD headquarters and within an hour of leaving the mission found themselves knocking on the door of Bates' office. The door not properly fastened swung open on his knock. Bates had his back to the door and was on the phone.

"I don't care kid, I vouched for you...if you're innocent give yourself up," He stopped as the person on the other end talked.

"No...I can't keep this from her, you know that woman scares even me,"

Callen motioned for Kensi to stay silent.

"Deeks! You can't run from this, not now...Please...I know...but Paul taught you better, you're not like them, I can't do anything to help you if you don't come in and fight this...MARTY!" Bates looked at his phone and sighed, "Dammit Marty!" he cussed as he turned to throw his phone on the desk and stopped mid throw as he saw the two extra occupants of his office.

"Damn, I should have known she'd have sent you...Do you know where the kid is?" Bates asked

"Why have you issued a BOLO for his arrest?"

Bates sat at his desk and tossed a file over towards them, "This is the evidence found at Fisk's murder scene this morning."

Kensi read the file and with a grim face passed it to Callen, "This has to be faked, there is no way Deeks would murder anyone."

Bates shook his head, "I wish it was, I need him to come in so I can help clear him. Were you guys working last night, can anyone account for his whereabouts at 11pm last night?"

Kensi shook her head, "He didn't come home until 1am." she said and then her eyes widened in shock as she realized what she had revealed.

Bates smiled, "Don't worry I know about you both, Deeks told me when he was planning on asking you out."

"I didn't realize you were so friendly." Callen said with a smirk.

"Deeks is _my_ detective, my responsibility, I won't sit on the sidelines and see her railroad him." Bates snapped.

"Her who?" Callen asked.

Bates opened and closed his mouth for a moment, "Detective Rivera, Internal Affairs. Deeks is a good Cop...a great cop, I won't have him railroaded." Bates hoped that they didn't notice his slip.

Callen and Kensi nodded in agreement, "I take it Deeks was baulking about coming in?"

"Yeah I'm assuming that little ninja of yours has something to do with that,"

Callen shrugged, "I don't know." He admitted.

"Why are they assuming that Deeks is guilty of murder?" Kensi asked.

"Because we have pictures of a known terrorist giving Deeks a gun, that was used in the murder." A voice came from behind them.

"Does no one knock anymore?" Bates sighed.

"Rivera." Kensi snapped.

"Agent Blye, good to see you again." She smiled.

"Can't say the same." Kensi replied.

"So where is Detective Deeks?" She asked.

"What pictures?" Callen asked cutting across her question.

"This is Caroline Malik, she is the wife of known Terrorist Aymon Malik a member of the Muslim Brotherhood...the warriors of Islam they call themselves, they are a splinter group, We have been tracking her since we were told of her involvement with Clarence Fisk." She lay down a series of pictures, a blonde haired woman with a Muslim man and the same woman younger with Clarence Fisk.

"Caroline Malik, was when she was with Fisk known as Caroline Fairchild, she was second in command in his empire and inherited all Fisk's assets on his death. Rumor had it she was married before Fisk, but his lawyer had all her records sealed. We had information that she and Fisk funded Detective Deeks' college education and his time in law school."

"Deeks isn't Quinn." Bates snapped, "You know he was instrumental with bringing Fisk to his knees, he helped expose Quinn and bring him down."

"Yes well we now think it was to hide his own involvement with Fisk."

"No." Bates shook his head and was pleased to see Kensi and Callen following suit.

"Fine so you tell me, what's this?" She pulled out her tablet and pulled a video up.

"That's outside Deeks' apartment." Kensi said, "Last night, look Callen theres us." she pointed at the window.

They watched as Deeks stopped and looked up at the window, Caroline Malik stepped out from the shadow and stood speaking behind him.

Callen was surprised that he hadn't turned round.

She pulled a gun and he heard Kensi's sharp intake of breath.

Then he turned and with a grim smile took the gun from her.

Rivera slammed the lid shut.

"See! he took the gun from her," she pulled out more pictures showing him looking after her as she walked away. "This gun has his prints all over it, and it's registered to a Gordon John Brandel, and ex-convict whom I am informed Detective Deeks shot once."

* * *

Sam had walked all over the building, he couldn't find Deeks anywhere.

"Hetty?" he said walking by her office.

"Have Miss Jones trace his phone." she suggested.

Sam jogged up the stairs to get Nell to run the trace.

Nell looked up after Sam asked her and typed on the keyboard, "His phone just went offline." she told him surprised in her voice.

"Where?" Sam asked.

Nell pulled up a nearby camera. "Venice Beach." she replied and pointed.

Deeks closed his phone and taking out the battery hurled it in the trash.

"What the hell is going on with him?" Sam asked.

Nell shook her head and watched as Deeks paced up and down. He stopped as someone seemed to catch his attention.

Hetty joined them and they watched as Deeks turned and Caroline Malik walked across the small square to join him.

Deeks raised his arms and pulled away from her obviously agitated. but then turned and sat on a bench.

Caroline sat next to him trying to give him a piece of paper.

"What is that?" Hetty asked.

Nell zoomed in, "It looks like an airline ticket." she informed them.

* * *

Deeks looked at it and threw it at her.

"No!" he yelled causing a few people to look around at them. "I'm not leaving, You killed Fisk and framed me!" he exclaimed.

"And it worked, there is a warrant out for your arrest, you're a cop, they'll lynch you...Martin, you need to leave."

"I didn't do anything, they have no proof."

Caroline smiled, "They have your prints on your fathers gun, they have photos of you meeting with me and when they find out who I am, your career is over," she thrust the ticket at him again, "Now take the damn ticket, go to New York, run!"

Deeks shook his head, "No...I won't leave her."

Caroline looked at her son.

"Then you'll die." she said flatly.

Deeks laughed, "You've been waiting long enough."

"You don't owe these people, they are not your family."

"Yes they are!" Deeks exclaimed looking at her incredulously. "The team are like family to me."

"Like...like we are blood!" she snapped. "They don't care about you."

"Bates...he's family."

"No...he's your boss."

"He's my mothers brother. My uncle."

"She was never your mother!" Caroline snapped.

"Valerie Deeks was the nearest thing I ever had to a mother and i would die for her and that family."

She shook her head sadly. "You know my son, you just might."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Deeks looked sadly at the woman who had bore him, he wanted so much for a kind word or something...something to give him a glimmer of hope that she would renounce the life of crime she had chosen all those years ago when she had left him with his father and gone to live and work for Fisk.

She had changed though, in very subtle ways, she wore a headscarf all the time or at least every time he had seen her so far. She sat next to him but kept looking at a man sitting in a white van on the corner and that worried him. She looked over at the man again.

"We need to go now then." she said.

"We?" Deeks looked at her surprised, "I have to go back, I have to tell Hetty and the team."

"Tell them what?" She snapped at him, "That you're not a killer, do you think with all the evidence I left they would believe you, remember I know you work with NCIS, I even left them a marine, how do you plan to explain that."

"They'll know it's not me." Deeks said resolutely.

"You really believe that don't you," Caroline looked sadly at him. "Your colleagues are in with IA and Bates now, they are teaming up to come after you."

Deeks went to stand up, but Caroline placed her arm on him, "We have people watching your team, you have a choice, come with us, or we will kill them."

"You're lying." Deeks gasped worried.

Caroline pulled her phone out, "Pick someone...anyone on your team. Kensi? Sam? Callen?" she flicked through time stamped pictures, all of them were in them, photo's taken through a snipers scope."

Deeks' shoulders slumped, "What do you want?"

"You won't leave...so you help."

"No...no way, I'll not help you…" Deeks shook his head and went to move again.

Caroline moved her jacket revealing her other hand and the gun it contained, "You will come or I will call and their deaths will be on you...I hear Sam Hanna has a family…" she pulled up one more picture, Kamran Hanna playing in a park her mother watching her.

"She will be first."

Deeks bowed his head, "OK...mom...I'll go with you."

"Good your new father is looking forward to meeting you."

He stood up and walked towards the white van.

* * *

"Miss Jones, get me all you can on that woman and follow that van, I want to know where Mr. Deeks goes at all times."

"Hetty!" Eric walked in, "Director Vance called, he couldn't find you, he needs to talk to you now." he told her.

Hetty nodded and walked over to Eric's phone, she didn't want to take her eyes off Deeks, she was worried that he was talking to that woman and going willingly with her. He was up to something but her gut told her that he had not killed Fisk, she knew he was a good agent and there was no way she had made that big a mistake.

"Director Vance I apologize we are dealing with a case here." She stopped as Vance talked to her over the phone.

"How imminent is this threat?" she asked.

She paled and nodded. "I'll recall my team straight away. I will keep you informed director."

"Miss Jones," she said as she put the phone down, "Keep an eye on Mr. Deeks, but we need to recall the team we have a priority one case."

"Eric call up the file on the Warriors of Islam, an Aymon Malik we have reports they have a bomb and are planning on detonating it in Los Angeles."

Eric called the file up.

Nell turned to Hetty, "Sam's here, and Kensi and Callen are three minutes out."

"Good time is of the essence." Hetty said looking at the files worried, there was something about the case that tugged on her gut.

As the remaining members of the team walked in ops Kensi walked over to Hetty, "Why have we been pulled off Deeks' case."

Hetty turned from Eric's screen and looked sadly at her female agent, "I'm not sure we have been. Mr. Beale can you pull up the file please."

Eric nodded, "The Warriors of Islam, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood...They are not affiliated and The Muslim Brotherhood have disavowed their actions, this is a splinter group who are funded by Aymon Malik and his wife Caroline Malik." he pulled their files up.

"That's the woman with Deeks!" Kensi exclaimed.

Hetty nodded, "Mr. Beale we need locations on them now, I need more information on the woman."

"IA has her as Caroline Fairchild, she was living with Clarence Fisk, she moved in with him in 1985, her file before that is sealed by court order, we have nothing on her life before 1985." Callen said.

"Mr. Beale?" Hetty asked.

Eric nodded and grabbed his tablet, putting in some parameters he opened the file.

"Caroline Fairchild, born Seattle Washington, 1965 ran away from home at eleven, no info on her until 1979, she turns up in a community hospital, she was pregnant at 14 and had a boy."

"Date?" Hetty asked her gut churning, "January 8th."

Kensi looked sad, "Poor kid, she was with Fisk then?" she asked.

"No...she was booked in by the child's father," Eric tapped some more keys, "Gordon John Brandel."

"Isn't that Deeks' dad…."Sam started and broke off. "God! Hetty no...that's not."

"We don't know for a fact but yes Mr. Hanna, I believe that Mrs. Malik is in actual fact Mr. Deeks' mother."

"He never speaks about her, I always thought she was dead, or at least…" Sam sighed, "He should have told us."

Callen shook his head, "Up until now it's been his business, we don't tell him everything about us, why should he. The real question is why is he with her? Is he helping them?"

"No." Kensi said, "There is no way Deeks is a killer, nor would he be part of a radical terrorist group, he's my partner, I trust him."

They all shot her a look of support.

"The van's stopped." Nell said pulling up a nearby traffic cam.

* * *

"You can carry this inside, less chance of my people shooting you." Aymon said to his stepson.

"What is it?" Deeks said although it was obvious, he was really wishing it wasn't.

"It's the final part of a bomb, we are going to unleash Jihad on Los Angeles."

"I won't…." Deeks shook his head.

Caroline showed him an updated picture of Kamran.

"We could plant the bomb within feet of her...or far enough away to make her life hell."

Deeks climbed out of the van and turned to grab the bomb and carry it into the warehouse.

He looked to see if there was a camera, hope that maybe the team could find him, but he saw none. He got as far as the locked door and placed the bomb on the floor.

"Door?" he asked.

He turned as Caroline threw him the keys he unlocked the door and picking up the bomb he walked into the warehouse and after his mother and stepfather followed in he kicked the door shut with his foot.

* * *

"Well…" Sam snapped, "Maybe he was being coerced?"

"Did he look coerced to you?" Callen replied.

"Hey this is Deeks!" Kensi argued.

"Well you know where he is, I suggest you give Bates a call and get some back up, we need to take this group down."

"Yeah if Bates doesn't want to shoot Deeks, this might be easy." Sam replied snarkily.

"Go!" Hetty ordered. "Try and bring Mr. Deeks back in one piece, he has some questions to answer."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Deeks sat on the chair, his arms zip tied behind his back as his mother shot a look at him as she walked into the room, he wasn't sure what the look meant but his gut told him It wasn't going to be good.

Aymon walked in past her, his hand brushing her cheek, "Check in with the others, we wouldn't want anyone hurt yet."

Caroline nodded, "Remember Martin, the key to keeping your girl alive, your friends and that child alive, is your co-operation."

"Don't hurt her, she's just a kid!" Deeks snapped. He'd managed to protect Michelle against Sidorov, there was no way he was going to give Kamran up to them.

His mother... She wasn't _his_ mother, that title always would belong to Valerie Deeks, the woman who had taken his bruised, battered and shell shocked eleven year old self from the hospital and taught him that violence and fear were not the norm in life. His family were Valerie Deeks and Paul Deeks. Bates, being Val's younger brother and his uncle, was family too.

Now the team had slowly wormed their way into that small group, Kensi instantly...The feelings he had for her, the way as 'Tracy' he had instantly trusted her all the while pretending that he didn't. Callen next, even though he hadn't told them all about his life, he felt a strange sort of kinship with Callen that he wouldn't name. Sam last of all, In his way Sam reminded him of both his fathers, Brandel in his distrust and put downs he'd had to endure for a long time, but Paul in his honesty and integrity. It was for the part of Paul that Deeks had seen in Sam that led him to make sure his wife and family were not harmed.

* * *

Aymon took his chair and placed it directly facing Deeks.

"You are his boy then?" he asked. He hadn't really said much to Deeks before then.

"I am Paul Deeks' son."

Caroline laughed, "Not from what I see. Your friends are in danger I don't see you worrying too much about them, but the child? _The Girl_? Her you worry about...Does...Sam? know how you think about his daughter."

Deeks looked up at her wide eyed with disgust, "What?! No!...That's disgusting how could you think I would be like that?" he paled at the insinuation his mother had come out with.

Aymon looked at his wife and nodded, moving so she could sit facing her son.

"I knew from the second I saw you, the second they told me you were a boy...that you would be just like him...and I'm right...all you've been concerned about is the welfare of...Kamran? Right?"

Deeks shook his head confused. "She's a child, she's Sam's daughter, she's not trained to deal with stuff like this of course I'd be worried."

Caroline gave out a grim laugh, "Yeah….Your father was _my_ rapist, you are the result how could you not be like him. You were pleased every time he praised you, you craved his attention, it was obvious that you were going to grow up to be just...like..._**HIM**_!" She spat.

Deeks moved his face away, not wanting her to see the upset and despair on his face.

"I'm nothing like Brandel, I am a cop, I help people not hurt them."

"He was a social worker, He was supposed to help me…"

Deeks shook his head, "You're lying!" he said as his eyes teared up.

* * *

He hadn't known what his father did, or rather had done for a living before he was born. He had known that his father had lost his job, it had led to him drinking a lot, but he had thought he'd been in construction or a craft, he alway talked about how he had taken little things and made into new things.

Caroline laughed, "Why would I lie." she eyed him with disgust, "All I wanted was for once, for you to believe in me, to look at me with the same respect you gave him, by the time you were six and got your first girlfriend I knew you were just like him. I couldn't stand it and I left."

"What? Six?" Deeks shook his head, he remembered when he was six he had met Ray and Ray's little sister, Emily."

"Emily?" He asked still confused.

"Yes!" Caroline spat, "You brought her in, and cuddled her on the couch, I knew then…."

"SHE WAS CRYING!" Deeks spat remembering the incident, there had been a huge fight with Ray's parents that morning, Martin had taken Emily to his house while Ray checked it was safe to go home and Emily had cried as she wanted her mother. "She was three years old!" Deeks fought the urge to vomit. He shook his head, "How can you believe that a six year old _child_! _**YOUR**_ six year old child would do that!?"

"_**You. Are. His. Son**_." She snapped back at him.

"Is this why you are doing all this, just to get back at me for something _**he**_ did?"

Caroline stood up, "No not at all, this is just a bonus. I just needed the local police and NCIS to be looking in the other direction, to be chasing you rather than what we are really doing. Fisk told me all about NCIS and how you all helped to take him down, I made sure he stayed down and his money is now funding our cause." She said proudly.

"Our cause?" Deeks asked.

Aymon nodded, "Like it or not you are a part of this family, you will help us with Jihad."

"Hell no!" Deeks exclaimed.

Aymon backhanded Deeks across the face and Marty turned and spat the blood from his split lip in his mothers direction.

"I see you still have a '_type_.'"

"I see you are still a disappointment, I had hoped that you had grown, changed, become less like your father...but no. You are still a poor excuse for a human being." She retorted.

* * *

He couldn't argue with that, he'd treated his team, especially Kensi appallingly trying to keep his secret. He knew they would despise him once they found out that his mother was or had been one of Clarence Fisks people, but now...now if they knew about his father...How _he_ came to be… how much despite all of this he still craved for her approval, just once. Just once he wanted her to be proud of him, to show she cared, loved him. To look at him with love, not hate or derision. Now he knew his mother was a terrorist?

His days with NCIS were over, he'd never pass the required security clearance. Hetty might as well tear up those application papers he knew she still kept in the drawer in her desk.

"I see you understand." Aymon droned on, "Your work family will disown you, but we are blood, and by the shedding of blood we must fight to stop the oppressors and live to make this world a better place."

"We are not blood!" Deeks snapped.

Aymon smiled, "You and your mother are and by the shedding of your blood, pure American blood, do we hope to get our point across."

Deeks looked in shock from this man to his mother.

"You do realize he means to kill you mom." he said.

Caroline smiled, "He knows I will do what is demanded of me by Allah. He loves me for me, not as an object or a means to an end but as a flesh and blood person. He cannot die with me, it is not his time yet, but I didn't want to leave you...you are my blood and you can be a part of this."

Deeks violently shook his head, "No! NO! I won't be a part of it."

Caroline smiled, "The people who raised you warped your mind son. They made you believe this world was good, it's not...but you can still be a hero, you can save that child by helping us."

* * *

Sam frowned, he'd tried calling Michelle at least twice now, it wasn't like her to not reply. He knew however they were planning on going up to see Aiden this weekend and Kamran had been pestering her mother for a new outfit to wear to show off to him.

Maybe she just couldn't hear her phone in the mall.

Callen placed a hand on his shoulder, "You ok?" he asked at the larger man's frown.

Sam nodded grimly, "Yeah...maybe she just can't hear her phone in the mall."

"You wanna have Eric check it out?" Callen offered.

"Na...Michelle can take care of herself, besides...I think that's Bates coming with the task force leader." Sam sat up as Bates and Daniel Large walked down the hallway and into Bates' office for a briefing.

"Gentlemen, Ma'am, Ladies." Large said looking at the people assembled.

Callen shot Kensi a calm down look as she was called Ma'am by Large.

Kensi flashed back a 'I'll kill him later' smile and Callen relaxed a bit.

"OK, Ms Lange called me and filled me in on the Warriors of Islam, I have four swat teams that can be ready to go on a moments notice, Agent Callen, tell me what do you need?" he asked.

"We know there are two of them, there may be more, but we need some more intel first. Our people are looking to see if anyone else is working with them."

"You mean apart from Detective Deeks." Rivera put in.

"Why are you here?" Kensi snapped, "Deeks is no terrorist."

Callen and Sam nodded their agreement.

"Why are you doing this, it's just taking our focus off the real target." Callen said.

"He is the real target." Rivera snapped.

Callen turned to Bates, "The targets we are after are Caroline and Aymon Malik, NOT Deeks. Deeks is to be brought in alive, if by some outside chance he has something to do with these guys we want to question him, does everyone agree?"

Everyone said yes, except Rivera.

Bates turned and looked at her annoyed. "Detective Rivera, I invited you to this meeting out of courtesy, and to keep everything above board, if you are going to be a hinderance you can stay here while this goes down."

"What and let him escape...I don't think so." she snapped back.

"What is your problem?" Kensi turned and walked over to her.

"My problem is someone like him, lies to get into the police academy, has a job as a lawyer which he never actually gave up, and with his background he shouldn't have been allowed near a uniform."

Kensi went to throw a punch and Callen and Sam stopped her before the others even had an idea of what she was thinking.

"OUT!" Bates yelled and manhandled her out of the room.

"I will report this to my superior." She argued.

"You'd better hurry if you wanna beat me to it." Bates snapped and slammed the door in her face.

"Sorry." he apologized to the group, "Let's get back on with the briefing.

"Aymon Malik is the old brother to Aziz Malik, he was arrested on Terrorism charges last year, he's been working to get his brother out of Guantanamo ever since. He met Caroline Fairchild three years ago after Fisk was arrested, she was on a trip for Fisk and avoided the take down but was smart enough to transfer most of his holding into her name. She was his accountant, transporter and by all accounts killer for hire. We can't get into her records prior to her moving in with Fisk in 1995. she was twenty years old."

Sam handed Bates a thumb drive, "This is what we could uncover."

Bates put in the thumb drive and swore as Caroline's picture came up on the screen.

"You know who that is?" Callen asked.

Bates nodded grimly, "That's Deeks' biological mother, the woman is unstable." he said, "My sister...She's Marty's foster mother, her and her husband Paul took him in when he was eleven, they lived next door and reported to the police station daily with concerns about the boy from the day he was born. She never wanted him, she tried, but she was too young to be a mother. At least that was what we thought. We thought Brandel was his grandfather until Marty shot him."

Bates clammed up, he had said more than he meant to, "You know where he is?" he asked.

Callen nodded, "I just want to be sure, we take them all alive if possible, but especially Deeks. I still don't believe he is working with them."

"Wishful thinking?" Large asked.

Callen shook his head, "Trust in my teammate."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

For the last few days all of Michelle Hanna's senses had been on overdrive. She thought at first something was wrong with her children. She had called Adiens' Military Academy, only to be told that he was fine and was studying for a final so he was effectively locked up in his dorm room, his preferred place to study, she had however insisted they check on him and after a twenty minute conversation with him was finally reassured that he was fine.

Kamran seemed to be ok, no temperature, or out of character behavior that usually accompanied an ailing child. She seemed happy, they went about their usual routine, school, the park and this afternoon she had to take Kamran to the mall for a new outfit so she would happily go and visit her brother, without complaining the whole way. Also Michelle was using the trip to buy her daughter more underwear and socks a task Kamran detested.

Kamran pulled her bag off her shoulder and threw it into the car as Michelle picked her up from school.

"Did you have a good day honey?" she asked.

Kamran nodded and climbed into her car seat, "Yeah...I made a new friend today. He said he was uncle Marty's brother, he was visiting the school. He knew me he said I looked like Daddy."

Michelle's blood ran cold, but she kept a smile on her face and nodded "That's nice sweetie, Can you wait here for a second, I need to check the oil on the car." she said.

Kam nodded and Michelle got out of the car and lifted the hood, as soon as her daughter couldn't see her she pulled out her cell phone.

'Damn' Three missed calls from Sam. She quickly dialed and hope he would reply.

She waited as the phone rang and went to voicemail.

"Hey honey, it's me...It's probably nothing, but I wanted to let you know that Kam said she met Deeks' brother today, I didn't know he had one, but i was worried. Anyway she's with me now and she's fine, I'm heading to the Mall and…" She stopped as a familiar feeling touched the small of her back.

"Hang up now." The accented voice came.

Looking through the gap in between the hood and the car, she could see that there was a woman standing with a gun pointed at her daughter, although luckily Kam couldn't see it due to the paper held over the gun.

"Who are you?" Michelle asked.

"Didn't your daughter tell you, My name is Ali, I am Martin Deeks' brother."

She looked at him like he was crazy, he looked nothing like Marty. "Listen I don't know who you think I am?" she said her eyes checking the two out and sizing up her odds at getting herself and her daughter out of the situation in one piece.

She didn't like her chances, her gun was under the drivers seat of her car and she couldn't get to it safely.

"We are going for a little ride, our brother needs some convincing to help his family." Ali Malik said.

The woman climbed into the car as Ali made Michelle get in the back.

"What's going on mommy?" Kamran asked the fear in her voice obvious.

Michelle was going to gut them for putting that fear in her baby's voice.

"Nothing sweetie, I had some car trouble, so Marty's brother and sister are going to take us to get the car fixed." she lied.

Michelle realized that the two people who were now in charge of her car had not taken Kamran's phone but had taken hers. Remembering her Agent in Distress code she slipped her hand into Kamran's bag and typed in Sam's number and put in the code.

Then she prayed.

* * *

Caroline looked over at her husband, "Where are the kids? I thought they were bringing them back."

"Kids?" Deeks asked worried.

"Your brother and sister." Caroline told him.

"You had more children?" Deeks asked amazed.

Caroline shook her head, "No I wasn't making that mistake again. These are Aymon's children. your stepbrother and stepsister, they are loyal to the family as you should be."

"I am loyal to my family." He said thinking of the team, Bates and the Deeks'.

"Good soon you will prove that, but as a starter…." Caroline removed the zip ties that were holding him to the chair, "You may yet be worth the trouble we went to."

Deeks sat his head down, rubbing his now freed wrists.

He couldn't see a way out of this at all, but he didn't want to put a foot wrong as he wanted to make sure Sam's daughter was safe. He couldn't let Sam down, he was part of the team and he owed them.

Aymon walked in, "You can help, we need to pack the van."

"You want me to pack that...!" He said pointing to the bags of fertilizer and barrels of Kerosene, "Into that?"

"Yes. Although as an infidel you will not be observing prayers with us, so you will be with us in the prayer room."

"Yeah right." Deeks snapped.

"Dont' be disrespectful to your father." Caroline snapped.

"He is NOT my father, My father is Paul Deeks." Marty snapped back.

"Your father was a drunk rapist, he was a cheat and a liar, and you are just like him...Did you ever tell that girl of yours, what your father was, does she know you have the same genes as him!" Caroline said as she pushed him against a wall.

"Don't you get it? The LAPD now know all about you, NCIS knows all about you and according to my source, they have already fired you and want to arrest you. They know the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Deeks tried pulling away. He shook his head, "I'm not like him."

"You don't really think they believe that now do you?" she asked, "We are giving you a chance here to make your name for a greater good."

"He's using you mom, he's using you as a pawn in his game. You were never a mother to me, but you are my birth mother and I don't want you to die." he said as he grasped her arms and looked into her eyes.

"Momma...please, killing people isn't the way to get your message across, there are plenty of other ways to do it. I don't want to die and I don't want you to. If this cause is so brilliant, why are none of your husbands children being rallied to the 'cause'?" Deeks asked the sarcasm in his tone evident.

"Your sister, Jacqueline has been doing her part for years, she joined the LAPD so she could get inside information and then she was tasked with watching you and helping this plan work."

Deeks frowned. "Jacqueline?"

"Yes she is your sister, she was raised with her mother and brother Ali."

* * *

There was a horn outside.

"Ah...now you will behave, one wrong word from you, one inkling that you are not 100% with us and the hostages we now have will be killed." She said pulling her gun and handing one to Deeks. "Before you get any idea's yours isn't loaded, but if anyone thinks that you are not with us I swear the child will die first."

Deeks held the gun and followed his mother to the sound of the car's engine as it switched off.

Deeks paled as he saw who was getting out of the car.

"Michelle." he gasped.

"Marty?" she replied in shock.

He stood as the other door opened to reveal his brother and sister.

"Martin!." Ali smiled as he walked over and hugged his brother.

"Ali." Deeks ground out his gut dropping at the shock on Michelle's face as he greeted her kidnappers. The next second he turned to his sister, he paled and couldn't keep the shock off his face.

"Rivera!"

She smiled sinisterly making sure Michelle couldn't see the smirk on her face, "Hello Brother, I brought them as you arranged."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Walking to the car Sam looked down as his phone vibrated.

"I got a message from Michelle, and Kamran, you wanna make sure that Kensi goes with the SWAT team and I'll catch up to you."

Callen nodded as Sam turned away with his phone.

Catching back up with him Sam looked like thunder, "Look!" He thrust the phone into Callen's hand, "Michelle's in trouble, Kamran sent me Michelle's Agent in Distress code."

"Does she know it?" He asked.

Sam shook his head, "No, but Michelle does…" Sam looked scared, "She left me a voicemail, I heard her...someone's taken her and Kam…"

"Call Eric, have him see if he can find her, we need to go and take down this terrorist group Sam, you need to focus. Michelle is a fully trained CIA Agent, she can protect herself and Kam."

Sam shook his head, "I know, but that's my wife and my baby girl."

Callen sighed, "I'll let Hetty know Sam, but we need you here, I need you here. I need my partner with his head in the game."

Sam nodded, "You call Hetty, you get Eric to find them and the second this is over I'm gonna find them and bring them home." he vowed.

As they pulled up outside the abandoned factory that Caroline and Aymon Malik had picked as a base, Sam was practically livid.

"You guys ok?" she asked.

"NO!" Sam snapped slamming the car door and stalking over to the SWAT commander.

"Callen? Is everything ok...is it Deeks?" she asked a cold fear settling in her gut.

Callen shook his head, "Michelle and Kamran were kidnapped this morning, by two of Malik's people."

"Oh my God! Do we know where they are?"

Callen nodded grimly. "Inside." he replied nodding his head in the direction of the building.

* * *

Inside, Michelle was looking at Deeks stunned.

"You _arranged _this?" She asked looking at Deeks her face a picture of anger.

"Of course I did Quinn." Deeks snapped sarcastically.

For a second Michelle's face relaxed, but she kept up her angry tirade.

"And you think my husband won't tear you limb from limb the second he gets his hands on you?"

"I'll be dead by then," He said his voice flat.

"Only if I get to you first. I get why you took me but why Kamran? Why betray your team?" She snapped, "Sam trusted you."

"They never trusted me, they were _never _family."

It was all Michelle could do not to smile, now she _knew_.

She knew that whatever this was Deeks wasn't behind it and that he would protect her like family. Maybe he was undercover, if so she wasn't going to step on his toes. However she relaxed knowing for definite that he would protect Kamran with his final breath.

Even though she didn't know what was going on she trusted him.

"This way," He said gesturing with the gun, he walked past Caroline who gently touched his arm with a smile, "We'll be in the main room, make sure they can't get away."

Deeks nodded.

He walked down the hallway the gun in the small of Michelle's back, "We have to walk through this back courtyard, it'll be ok to talk on the other side, but they are still watching." He breathed, with a barely perceptible nod of her head Michelle let him know she understood.

Aymon stood at the window watching his stepson take the woman and child across the courtyard to the outbuilding at the back.

Deeks looked both ways as he started across, two flashes of light caught his eye, the first he couldn't find a source for but the second he noticed was a reflection from the window that Aymon had opened off to the side, Deeks could see the gun in his hand pointed at Kamran's head.

"MOVE IT!" Deeks growled giving Michelle a small shove.

Kamran looked up at Deeks' angry face and started to cry.

* * *

"I am going to kill him!" Sam snarled looking through the SWAT teams binoculars at the sight below.

"There has to be an explanation." Kensi said, although even she was finding it hard to come up with an explanation for this one.

"Like what, do you see a gun pointed at him? No! He has a gun on my wife and child….I'm going to kill him." He reiterated.

"We have to wait," Callen said, "Hetty's got Eric tasking a thermal satellite to case the building."

"How long?" Sam growled.

"Ten minutes." Callen said watching as the SWAT team were moved into position.

Sam knew that as a father he wanted to charge down there and rescue his family, but as a former SEAL and an Agent he knew the value of waiting for the intel and moving when ordered.

* * *

Deeks opened a faded blue wooden door, "Inside." He said.

As soon as the door shut he leaned against the wall, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry….Are you both alright?" he asked his face a picture of misery.

"I'm fine Marty, Kam's good too, what the heck is going on?" Michelle asked.

"The Warriors of Islam, they are a terrorist group, they have been watching you for days, they threatened to _hurt _Kam if I didn't go with them." he explained.

"Why?...Why did they say they were your brother and sister?" Michelle took a book out of Kamran's backpack, "Read this for a bit baby, I have to talk to Uncle Marty for a bit."

"Does he hate me?" Kamran asked.

"No!" Deeks exclaimed crouching down to her, "I just have to play pretend for a bit, and it's my turn to be the bad guy."

Kam bit her lip and shot him an 'I'm eight not stupid' look. "You mean you're undercover?"

Deeks grinned and nodded. "Something like that." he replied and moved away to talk to Michelle.

"The woman, the blonde?" Deeks started and Michelle nodded, "She's my mother."

Michelle blinked in surprise, "But...Marty, I met your mother once, with you at the market remember?"

Deeks sighed and shook his head, "That's my mom...Valerie Deeks, this is Caroline Fairchild slash Brandel...My biological mother. She's been living with a guy we took down a few years ago Clarence Fisk?"

Michelle nodded, "I remember Sam telling me about the case, Didn't Kensi give you grief for working undercover with IA?"

Deeks smiled a little and nodded.

"A few days ago, Hetty told me I was being investigated by IA. I went to talk to Bates and my mother turned up, she's the one setting me up, she's the one who orchestrated the whole thing, she's married to a terrorist, Aymon Malik…"

"Malik, he's on our watch list." Michelle said surprised.

"Yeah, my stepfather." Deeks said sourly. "He wants my mother to be a suicide bomber. She hated me you know, but...She's still my mother I have to stop them I have to make them believe…" he stopped as he heard his mother's voice.

"MARTIN?" she called across the yard.

"I have to go, this is as safe as I can make you for now, keep away from the white van, it's a bomb. Keep Kamran safe," he begged.

Michelle nodded and kissed his cheek, "Thank you."

* * *

Deeks walked out of the outbuilding and locked the door as his mother walked up behind him.

"It's time." She said.

"Time?" he asked confused.

"To do our bit for the cause." she smiled.

"Mom please, you don't have to do this." he begged.

"Of course we do, come on, I'll go first." she moved him into the main building to where Aymon was standing with two suicide vests in his hands.

Deeks sent up a prayer that someone somewhere would stop this, he couldn't attack Aymon, with Rivera and Ali standing and watching. If they killed him he couldn't protect Michelle and Kamran or save his mother.

Caroline smiled as she put on the vest, "Set it up my love." she said to Aymon.

Deeks shuddered as Aymon put the vest on Caroline and set the dead man's switch detonator.

She turned and with one hand handed Deeks the second vest, "Put it on."

Deeks held his arm out and placed the vest on.

"Good...you will make me proud yet." she told him.

"Mom...I don't want you to die."

Caroline smiled, "We do this for the greater good my son."

"And they can't?" He said pointing at the others.

Aymon moved to wire up the vest, "I don't get a switch?" Deeks asked.

Aymon shook his head, "Your vest is synced up with your mothers', you will both be going to Allah together."

Caroline walked over and kissed her husband. "I will wait for you my love." she told him.

"You will walk in glory will Allah, your name will be praised and you will make them see that the American machine must be stopped." Aymon said.

Both Jacqueline and Ali hugged Caroline, "We are proud of you our mother."

Caroline smiled, "I am proud of you both too, keep working to our goal." she said.

Deeks turned away a flash of jealousy crossed his face.

Aymon turned to his children, "Go...watch over our guests, I will prepare the van."

As the other three headed out of the door, Deeks turned to his mother, "Now what?" he asked.

"Now...you tell me where your Office of Special projects is, that has always been our target."

"I...I…" Deeks shook his head and moved away.

"We will take down the secret enclaves of the infidels."

* * *

There was a loud screech of tires and a door shattered as an LAPD SWAT team burst through the doors, with Callen, Kensi and Sam close on their heels.

_**"LAPD DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND PUT YOUR HANDS UP OVER YOUR HEADS!"**_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_**"LAPD DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND PUT YOUR HANDS UP OVER YOUR HEADS!"**_

Deeks looked up in shock, he looked as the others came in their weapons raised and automatically moved to protect Caroline.

Sam looked around and yelled at Deeks, "Where are they?"

"Safe." he replied.

"Son of a…." He moved closer.

"Shoot them!" Caroline shouted at Deeks.

"I...I can't, I won't." Deeks said to her, "You gave me_ this_ gun remember."

"We will still die for the glory of Allah, and your wife and child will be with us." Caroline spat looking at Sam.

A SWAT team member seeing Caroline going for something behind her back fired.

* * *

"NO!" Deeks launched himself at his mother pinning her to the ground and grabbing the dead man's switch she had taken and armed.

"I will die, for the glory of our cause, we will be together Martin." She rasped as some blood spilled out from her mouth.

A SWAT officer moved in to take him off her.

"NO!" Deeks shouted.

Kensi held up her hand, "Wait, please…" she asked.

She moved over to him, "Deeks, this isn't a cause to die for…"

Deeks laughed sourly, "Tell her that Kens."

"Why are you doing this?"

He looked at her like she was crazy surely she could see the deadman switch.

"DEEKS, Hold your hands above your head and move away from the woman." Callen shouted.

"I can't...Callen we need an ambulance...Please, she can't die...But I…"

"An ambulance is coming, but you need to move off her."

"I CAN'T!" Deeks all but screamed. "_**We have bomb vests on, she's got the deadman's switch If I move we all die!**_"

They took a step back at that.

"Aymon is in the courtyard, White Van rigged to explode, you need to stop him, Rivera...she's…" Deeks coughed and some blood came from him, he looked down and realized that where the SWAT officer had shot his mother, he had gone through him.

Kensi moved closer to him.

"Let me take the switch…" She said softly.

"No leave...stop Rivera, find Michelle and Kam...please I promised…" Deeks coughed again, "Outbuildings….back...love you Kens…"

She smiled and kissed his cheek, "You do what Callen tells you and stay alive for me, I'll get them."

"Riv…." Deeks coughed again as Kensi moved away.

Callen moved in and looked at the switch, "OK Deeks, I'm gonna take the switch, you move and Sam will deal with the bomb."

Deeks nodded and handed the switch and his mothers hand to Callen.

He rolled off to the other side and lay breathing heavily.

"Deeks." Sam said flatly. He was still mad with the blond detective but his training came first and he put it aside to diffuse the bomb.

He worked his way around the wires until he found the power source, clipping first one wire then the other he diffused Deeks' vest and then moved to do Caroline's.

Deeks had grabbed his mothers hand, as his eyes closed and he allowed himself a few moments of relief.

* * *

"It's done, get the paramedics in here." Sam snapped. He stood up and looked over to Callen, "Stay with them I have to find Michelle and Kam."

Understanding Callen nodded.

"Other bomb?" Deeks asked.

"Swat team took down the Malik's, the bomb's been diffused." Callen told him.

Deeks allowed himself a small smile, "Good."

Callen helped Deeks take the vest off as the paramedics came into the building.

"Help her first…" Deeks groaned moving away from the hands that were touching him. "Please…"

Callen watched as the younger man look pleadingly in the direction of the other woman. He needed to get Deeks patched up and interviewed before anyone else could intervene.

He nodded as Deeks moved away again, "Let me look at you."

"It's not so bad, just a flesh wound, but…" Deeks coughed again.

Callen helped him sit up and pulled his shirt up. Deeks was right it was just a through and through, it would just need a few stitches, that was all and he could do that.

"You want me to stitch you up?" Callen asked.

"You sew?" Deeks said a small smile gracing his face.

Callen just raised an eyebrow and turned to get the first aid kid.

Deeks sat silently as Callen stitched him up, he didn't ask for pain reliever, Callen had actually forgotten to ask, he didn't like the needle and never used it on himself. Deeks just figured it was the start of his punishment, maybe his mother was right, maybe they would fire him and then charge him and he'd end up in Guantanamo never seeing Kensi again. His heart constricted and he rapidly blinked back the unbidden tears that came to his eyes.

Callen watched Deeks as he closed himself off.

He was annoyed. He was the team leader, he should have been a better one then maybe this wouldn't have happened.

* * *

Bates came into the building and seeing Deeks on the floor he ran across the room.

"Deeks?"

"I'm ok." He replied.

"Dammit, your parents are going to kill me." he sighed.

Deeks gave a small sheepish smile but said nothing.

"You need to be debriefed kid, I'll have someone take you in…"

"He's going to the boatshed, Hetty wants to question him personally." Callen snapped.

Bates looked at Deeks as he paled.

"He's my detective, I'll question him."

"Just let them take me." Deeks said flatly.

"We will be talking to Mrs. Malik too as soon as we are given the all clear, I want to know what the target was."

"It was _the_ mission." Deeks said not looking at him.

Callen glared at him, "It was _your_ mission?" he snapped at him.

Deeks' head swam, the pain filtering through and he started to sway.

"You had painkillers?" Bates asked looking at his nephew going a strange shade of grey.

Deeks shook his head as Callen walked over to Sam who was coming in the other door.

Bates turned to the paramedic who shot Deeks full of morphine and helped Deeks to lay down, he reached out and grasped the sleeve on his mothers dress, looking to Bates a lot like the defeated eleven year old that his sister had brought home from the hospital all those years ago.

* * *

"They ok?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, Rivera found them in a room, couldn't get the door open, she's headed back to the office and I got them out. Michelle is taking Kamran to the doctor."

"She's hurt?" Callen asked worried.

Sam shook his head, "More scared, but we want to see if we can get her an appointment with a child psychologist if needed."

"Yeah?" Callen had a low opinion of Child psychologists, but he got where Sam was coming from, "It really helps?"

Sam nodded. "How is he?" he asked nodding towards Deeks who had past out his head on Bate's jacket.

"I don't get it, Kensi is convinced he's not a part of this group, but he said it was his mission. Do you think maybe Hetty wants to debrief him because he's undercover, maybe she gave him the mission?" Callen asked.

"Either that or he turned, I mean that is his mother…" Sam reasoned, "We need to get him to the boatshed, and get him debriefed."

"Bates is insisting that we take him to LAPD." Callen told his partner.

"Yeah coz that's gonna happen." Sam scoffed.

Bates looked up as the two walked towards him.

"Ok, you can take them both to the boatshed, even I know I can't argue with that boss of yours, but there will be a paramedic there for both of them. Fairchild's injuries are not life threatening, but if she takes a turn for the worse I want her sent to hospital, she needs to be alive to trial." Bates stated, "I'm only allowing this because the paramedics say she'll be alright to be moved and she should be ok to be questioned."

Callen nodded curtly as Kensi walked over to join them.

"Malik's body and the son have been taken away."She told them. "Is Deeks going to the hospital?" She looked over at him concerned.

Callen shook his head, "Paramedics are bringing him to the boatshed, we'll let him rest till he gets there but we need to know what his mission was and where the van was headed."

* * *

Deeks woke up on a cot in a very familiar room.

He groaned as he sat up and gingerly touched the spot on his side where Callen had patched him up.

"I see you are awake Mr. Deeks." Hetty said from her chair across the room, "Do you need to see a medic?"

Deeks shook his head, "Callen did a good job….Did you stop them? Did you stop Malik?" he asked.

"Ali and Aymon Malik are dead, The van has been made safe by the bomb squad."

Deeks nodded in relief.

"Where was the target Mr. Deeks, what was your mission."

"My mission?" Deeks asked confused.

"I had such high hopes for you, I had hoped you would be an Agent one day." Hetty said looking at him sadly and wondering how she could have been so wrong.

"I didn't have a mission? Unless you count making sure that my 'brother and sister' didn't shoot Kamran or Michelle. They had a sniper on Kamran, I saw pictures." Deeks sighed.

"You said you had a mission…" Hetty pressed.

"I said the target was _the mission_." Deeks clarified. "They wanted me to tell them where OSP was."

"Did you?" Hetty asked.

"No." Deeks turned away from her, "I thought you of all people would have had more trust in me."

Hetty looked abashed for a second.

"The evidence against you was pretty damning." Hetty said showing the pictures that Rivera had gathered.

Deeks looked at them sadly, he could see how they had probably gotten the wrong idea.

"Hetty…" Deeks looked up at her his blue eyes full of pain. "I didn't do this, I know it looks bad, but I can explain…"

"You could have come to me, sent a text, warned us." Hetty said

Deeks nodded he could have sent a text, but the chances of them acting instantly and changing their behavior could have cost Kamran her life.

"I did what I thought was best, I couldn't betray her." he said thinking about how he had promised Sam he would protect his wife and daughter when Sidorov had them and he wasn't going to stop now.

"Mrs Malik?" Hetty asked

Deeks shook his head, "No Michelle and Kamran, I couldn't take the chance that she would have them killed."

Hetty nodded gravely.

"You didn't betray us." Hetty stated.

"Never, I made a mistake Hetty, I know that now, but I was never going to hurt anyone, I was trying to avoid anyone getting hurt."

"I didn't want her to die though, she didn't get it, he played her."

"Who died Mr. Deeks?"

"Mom...Caroline, I failed her; I could protect you all and you had training and guns, but I couldn't protect her...she was right…" He turned away.

"GET THE HELL OFF ME!" Deek's head shot up as he heard Caroline's voice from another room.

"Mom?" He turned and looked at Hetty, "Please… Are they hurting her? please let me see her, let me talk to her."

"I will think about it." Hetty said and left the room.

Outside in the main room, the others were watching and Granger shook his head.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Hetty was now convinced that she had made the right choice in hiring Deeks. He was, as she had hoped a loyal man.

She had seen something in his eyes, and in his words that told her he wasn't a terrorist, he hadn't betrayed his country. However he was deeply troubled and had been put through a lot.

She wondered how after all his mother had put him through in his childhood that he could still want to see her and talk to her.

Her own adoptive parents had been loving and attentive, she had loved them their whole lives, but Caroline Malik had been nothing like that.

She was missing a few pieces of the puzzle and it bugged her.

Granger moved to cut off her thoughts as she walked into the main room.

"We can't put them together." He said flatly.

"Where is the harm Owen?" Hetty asked looking at him stubbornly.

"Harm?" Owen looked at her like he was about to burst a blood vessel.

"Owen, did you not hear what Mr. Deeks said….He said that…." She stopped as the missing piece hit her.

"He said there was another woman, a sister. Did you find anyone else?"

Kensi and Sam shook their heads.

"Are you sure Mr. Deeks didn't mention anyone?" Hetty pressed.

Kensi started to shake her head again, then she stopped.

"He mentioned Rivera, but I assumed that was because she was investigating him." Kensi told the older woman.

"What exactly did he say?" Hetty asked.

"I'm not sure, I mean he was injured, there was a lot of chaos, with the LAPD and SWAT there as well."

Hetty nodded making a decision.

"How much of my discussion with Mr. Deeks did you all hear?" She asked.

"Just the end of it Henrietta." Granger told her, "Enough to know you are considering putting them in together."

"Mr. Deeks was never a member of this group, he was set up. Mr. Callen, Ms Blye I want you to go and pick up Detective Rivera, she is due a conversation with me I think….Mr. Deeks stated a brother and a sister. I know Mr. Callen you told me that Detective Rivera was told not to accompany you on the raid. I feel she may have some questions to answer." They nodded and went to do as she asked.

* * *

Hetty turned to Sam. "Mr. Hanna, Detective Deeks was protecting your daughter, He tells me that she was being watched by his step brother, Ali Malik. Everything he did was to keep her safe, now it is up to you whether or not you believe it and what you do about it, but I will ask….Do _you_ believe Mr. Deeks capable of being a terrorist, or do you believe he would protect innocent life until his last breath."

Sam looked at her as for him the pieces fell into place, "Of course he would protect innocent lives, he went through hell to protect Michelle...of course he would do the same for my kids."

Hetty nodded, "Good...good, now the only person I have left to convince….Is Mr. Deeks." she said totally ignoring Granger and walking to the teapot Sam had ready on the table for her.

"So Deeks isn't a suspect now?" Granger asked, he was annoyed as he still thought that Deeks was a waste of agency resources.

Bates walked in and dropped his jacket on the back of a chair.

"Marty was never a suspect." He said looking Granger right in the eye and daring him to come out and call him a liar.

"It looked like it from here." Granger looked over at the room where Deeks was standing at the door and trying the door handle.

"How are they doing?" Bates asked looking at Deeks on the monitor who had gone back to the cot Hetty had placed in the room and had sat down with his knees tucked close to his body and his head on his knees.

"Mrs Malik, is alright, we had a doctor come into the boat shed and finish patching her up, he is in with her, an agent and a nurse now." Hetty told him, "Apart from the wound Mr. Deeks received and a cut on the inside of his mouth where he bit himself as he fell he seems to be on the mend, however I am concerned about his state of mind."

* * *

Bates looked at his detective, his nephew, crushed and broken. Betrayed by both that took the biological title of parent to the man. Caroline had been the main focus of his young life until he was six, then she had been out of his life until he was eleven. Despite the Deeks' taking him home from hospital Caroline had taken him in to live with her and Fisk for three months, Just as he had started to settle, she had decided that raising an eleven year old boy was just too much to bother with. Over the years she had periodically dropped in and out of his life causing chaos and pain in his young life, as soon as he had passed the bar he threatened to have a restraining order filed, she countered by promising to leave him alone if he had her records sealed.

Bates remembered how crushed he had been, when the order to have her records sealed had been finalized. It had been the final straw and had had announced to his foster parents that he didn't want to be known as Brandel anymore and he didn't want to practice law.

It had been then that Bates had taken him under his wing and steered him towards law enforcement.

Knowing all that Bates' face fell when Hetty turned to him and said, "Mr. Deeks wants to see Mrs. Malik."

He sighed, "Can I talk to him first?" he asked.

Hetty nodded.

"You know we will be able to see everything and hear everything." Granger told him.

"You don't trust me?"

"You're not his lawyer." Granger snapped back.

Hetty put her hand on the lieutenant's arm, "We will be discreet."

He nodded with a half smile, "I would appreciate it."

"Mr. Hanna...could you wait outside, Mr. Callen and Ms Blye will be back soon."

Sam nodded and went to wait for them as Bates walked into the interrogation room.

* * *

"So...How bad is it kid?" Bates asked.

Deeks wouldn't look at him.

"Caroline has a trained doctor in with her, she will be alright and hopefully well enough to stand trial."

His eyes strayed to the door and Bates took a chair and sat between him and the door.

"Do you wanna keep beating yourself up over her?" Bates asked softly. "It's never gonna change no matter how much you want it too."

Deeks sighed, "I always hope…"

"She tried to blow you up Marty, she joined a terrorist group and her stepson had a gun trained on your co-workers daughter."

"I know but…"

Bates knew where this was going, it was the same old story.

"There was a reason you agreed to have a judge seal those files, the same reason why you took the Deeks' surname."

"She said I was just like him." He looked down at his feet unable to meet the eye of his uncle and boss.

Bates smiled, "You are nothing like him, you are one thousand per cent Paul Deeks' son. You are kind, caring, considerate of others….What about Kensi, have you hurt her like Brandel did?"

Deeks' whole head shot up and he stared at Bates in shock, "NO! No way! I would never!"

Bates smiled, "See she lied, you are nothing like him."

Deeks looked down again, "I know...I know mom and dad love me, and I love them...but I just wish that she'd...you know, change…?"

"Martin Andrew Deeks, You will never be good enough for that woman, not because you are beneath her but because you are far far above who she will ever be."

"But...I just want her to say she is proud of me, to tell me why…"

"You wanted to grow up calling Fisk Daddy?" Bates scoffed.

Deeks shook his head.

"She's going down for this isn't she, there's no way I can get her off?"

"Do you want to?" Bates asked.

"A part of me feels the need to be there for her to prove that I am not like Brandel and that she could be proud of me. But I know that she needs to pay for this...but maybe I could pay for a lawyer, I mean she is still at the end of the day my mother."

"Lawyers are expensive Marty." Bates said.

Deeks nodded slowly. "Yeah I suppose paying for two lawyers would be too much, even if I sold the apartment…"

"What? Why would you need two lawyers?" Bates asked.

Deeks' eyes opened wide with fear, "You mean they are sending me to Guantanamo? I thought Hetty believed me, I'm telling the truth I didn't want to blow up anyone, I didn't even tell them when they wanted to take the van to the mission and blow it up, they wanted to take down NCIS, Malik's brother was apparently killed by a Marine, NCIS found the guy and let him go he turned states evidence and helped in taking down a drugs ring. I swear this is all I know...Please...I can't go there...Bates...I don't care If i lose my job, my apartment, even Kensi...hell if they brand me a terrorist I'll lose her anyway, it wouldn't be fair to her I…."

"STOP!" Bates yelled.

Deeks stopped in mid flow as Bates put a calming hand on his shoulder.

"You are not going anywhere, they know you were set up."

"I'm not fired?" Deeks asked a grin splitting his face.

"Not by me." Bates replied.

Deeks nodded solemnly. "Ok."

The door opened and Hetty walked into the room.

"Mr. Deeks." she said, "I can assure you your job is safe, however your mother will be taken by the LAPD as soon as we have been able to question her about what she knows of the location of our base here in Los Angeles and if she knows of any other targets the warriors of Islam were planning on hitting."

Deeks shook his head, "She won't tell you." He said resignedly.

Hetty nodded, "um...I agree Mr. Deeks, but I think she may tell you."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"_ME!_" If you had asked Deeks later he would have sworn he didn't squeak that response out. But both Hetty and Bates would have smiled and just nodded, both knowing he had squeaked in surprise.

"Yes Mr. Deeks, you will obviously have to take someone in with you. However I do feel that Mrs. Malik would be more congenial to talking to you." Hetty looked over at Bates who shook his head.

"Not me, Caroline hates me and has for years."

Deeks laughed, "You forcibly had her removed from my graduation and threatened to arrest her."

"She wanted you to go and work for Fisk...and you ended up filing a restraining order against her anyway." Bates argued back.

"Yeah but _you _physically picked her up and carried her over your shoulder out of the auditorium!"

"And it was _my_ fault she wasn't wearing underwear?!"

Hetty stifled a smile.

"Nonetheless Gentlemen, I need someone to go in with Mr. Deeks."

"I need a drink first." Deeks said.

He walked as far as the door and turned for a second as if to ask Hetty for permission to leave. She nodded and he turned the handle and walked out into the main room.

He took a bottle of water from the fridge and sat carefully at the table.

Granger sat across from him with his coffee, "You ok?" he asked.

Deeks nodded once but said nothing, he could see the look Granger was giving him, it was one he was used to as a kid...The look that said you are in trouble and the first second we are alone you are going to find out how much.

He took a gulp of the water and choked as it went down the wrong way.

Bates moved to gingerly pat him on the back, "You ok?"

Deeks nodded again, he was getting tired of people asking that about as much as he was of lying his answer. He wouldn't be ok until this was over, he was back at work and back with Kensi. She was his safe place and he was unsettled and wouldn't feel safe until they were alone and together again. He just hoped with all she had been through in her past that he hadn't screwed things up royally for them too.

* * *

"I don't care…" Callen's voice came as the main door opened, "I'm not Deeks you can't do that when I'm driving!"

"But Deeks always lets me pick the music." Kensi replied.

"Yeah….well maybe he's deaf too, that was NOT music!"

"Sheesh!" Kensi rolled her eyes and sat in the chair next to Deeks.

"Hey." she smiled and he grinned the smile lighting up his eyes for the first time in days and he actually felt a bit better.

He moved as she wrapped her arms around him, not caring who was watching, "I missed you partner." she said.

He relaxed into her hug, smelling the strawberry shampoo in her hair and feeling safe.

Kensi's smile dropped an instant later as Deeks tensed up and she felt her gun lifted from the small of her back.

"Deeks?" she said and pulled back as he moved her behind him and pointed his gun at Sam.

No, he wasn't pointing his gun at Sam she decided, but at Detective Rivera who had her gun out at Deeks.

"Why is he here? He should be locked up." she snapped not lowering her gun.

"She's one of them, I told you...Why didn't you get her?" Deeks asked looking over at Kensi.

"What, but Deeks you never said she was…"

"She is Aymon Malik's daughter. She was investigating me through IA to learn of the location to the mission and to frame me."

Sam and Callen who had pulled their guns and had them trained on Rivera, didn't lower them but moved to make sure she was as far from Deeks as they could get her.

"Detective Rivera, lower your weapon." Bates ordered.

She scowled at him but did as she was asked.

Raising her hands she handed the weapon to Callen who passed it back to Bates.

"Damn... She was right, you are trouble brother." Rivera snapped at Deeks.

Deeks smiled sadly as Sam hauled her into the interrogation room that Deeks had so recently vacated.

"Jacqueline Rivera, is Malik's daughter, her mother wasn't Caroline, I don't know who she is, but she was sent to guard Michelle and Kamran." Deeks told them, "To make sure I would co-operate."

* * *

Callen turned to follow Sam, but Hetty called him back, "Mr. Callen, would you accompany Mr. Deeks to interview Mrs. Malik, Ms Blye can assist Mr. Hanna."

For a second Callen looked down the hall where his partner was not liking the idea of him interviewing the woman, who had been within seconds of possibly killing Michelle and Kamran, without him. But with a curt nod he went over to Deeks.

"You ok to do this?" He asked.

Deeks shrugged, "I want to...but I don't want to you know?"

Callen nodded although he really didn't know, he'd never been in that situation.

"Let me go in first then, see how she is...you can join me when you're ready...and Deeks?"

"Yeah?" Deeks looked over at him.

Callen smiled, "It's good to have you back on our side."

Deeks gave a half hearted grin, "I never left."

Callen patted him on the shoulder and headed to the room that Caroline was in, Deeks followed grabbing the file Hetty held out for him, he waited outside the door as Callen walked into the room.

Caroline lay propped up with pillows on a cot in the interview room. The doctor and nurse assigned to her were sitting at the table and the Agent assigned to guard her was leaning against the wall.

"I'll take over from here." Callen said to the Agent who nodded and left the room.

"Doc, can she talk."

Caroline shot Callen a filthy look, "Of course I can talk!" she snapped, "But I'm not going to...not to you."

Deeks walked in and slammed the folder down on the table.

"Out." He ordered to the doctor.

"I can't leave her alone...She's…"

"She's has family visiting, you can give us a few minutes."

"You are agent's not family."

"I am not an Agent I am her son, now out!" Deeks snapped.

The doctor looked annoyed but he had worked with NCIS before and he knew how stubborn they could be. "I will be right outside any change in her condition you call me immediately."

Callen nodded and held the door as they left.

* * *

He shut the door and turned around as Deeks took the chair, the table placed between them as a shield.

"Caroline Fairchild, AKA Caroline Malik...you have led an interesting life, working for Clarence Fisk, stealing his empire and then you left him and fell in with terrorists, now tell me how did you do that?" Callen asked.

Caroline glared at him, "My husband was not a terrorist he was a warrior of God."

Deeks snorted and hid it with a cough.

"He was going to blow up his wife and stepson and a van full of explosives, innocent people as well!"

"There are no innocents." Caroline spat, "Everyone is guilty of something."

"Yeah like what? The people who work in the building you were going to blow up have done nothing to harm anyone, you were willing to kill your own son."

"He's no son of mine, he belongs to his rapist father." She spat.

Deeks looked away ashamed.

Callen practically threw the chair that was between them across the room and leaned down so his face was near hers.

"That man, your son, is one of the most finest police officers I have ever worked with. He is a man of integrity and honor. He is a credit to all who know him and the people who cared enough to be his parents." Callen snapped, he shot a glance at Deeks who looked abashed but smiled gratefully anyway. "_**You**_ failed him as a parent, _**you**_ failed him as a human being, _**you**_ are the person he should be ashamed of but he isn't and do you know why?"

Callen waited as she continued to stare stubbornly at the wall behind him.

"I'll tell you, because _he_ was concerned about _you_. He wanted to make sure you were alright and that you could be helped rather than sent to Guantanamo without a trial. That is the sort of man your son is. If I were religious I would say that that is the way a man of God would behave."

Callen stepped away and turned his back on her.

Caroline looked shocked, there was no way that that….thing...that child that Brandel had forcibly given her and made her bear. That thing from evil was good?

She shook her head, "I don't believe you." she whispered.

Deeks looked away leafing through the file rather than speak.

"We have Jacqueline in custody, Ali and Aymon are dead mom, if you know anything that will help you, the names of anyone else in your group, tell us...we can let the judge know, it'll help your case." Deeks said quietly without looking at her.

"Dead? My husband is dead?" Caroline looked shocked, that hadn't been the plan.

Deeks nodded.

"And my son...my beautiful Ali...I was so proud of him...he was all I wanted in a child."

Deeks bit the inside of his lip as a pain ricocheted through his solar plexus and he fought the urge to scream.

He took a few deep breaths as Callen placed a steadying hand on his shoulder, this pain...the pain of being told you were not good enough, Callen knew it all too well.

"All Aymon wanted was revenge for his brother. We knew that you were working with NCIS and we knew that if pushed we could get the location of your secret base. Jackie worked so hard trying to get you framed, so that we could find out where it was." Caroline shook her head wistfully, "Such good sweet children." she sighed.

"Were there any other targets, any other cells in Los Angeles?" Deeks asked.

"No...no not that I know of, Aymon never confided in me."

Deeks stood up as Caroline turned away. "I'll send the doctor in, you look like you're in pain. Just one last question and I promise I will not come back after….Did you ever love me mom?"

Caroline turned and looked him in the eye. "I'm sorry Martin, I just couldn't...I tried, but you are too much like your father, I could never love you."

Deeks turned and without a word walked out of the room letting the doctor and nurse back in.

Callen followed giving Hetty the report on what they knew all the while shooting concerned glances in Deeks' direction.

Sam and Kensi came out, "Rivera sung like a bird. She's given us locations on terrorist cells she knew in Los Angeles, enough to keep the FBI and Homeland busy for a long time, seems that she doesn't want to be an inmate of Guantanamo and would rather a supermax prison." Kensi said.

Sam smiled, "Looks like it all ends well."

Deeks slammed the file he had been holding on the table and walked out the door.

"What did I say?" Sam asked.

* * *

Walking down to the end of the dock, Deeks let all the anguish and pain he was holding out, no one could see him or judge him so he freely let his tears flow. He fell to his knees at the end of the dock and found himself staring at the deep water, listening to the waves lapping back and forth not bothered by the turmoil he was experiencing.

In the boatshed Sam looked concerned at Deeks' departure, but Callen filled them in on his interview with Caroline after Bates insisted they give him some space.

"We'll take Rivera in and have Caroline transferred to a secure medical facility." Bates said. "Deeks has offered to pay for a lawyer for both of them."

"Both?" Kensi asked confused.

"His words, they may hate him, but they are family. Even Rivera...and he wants to make sure they have the right lawyers." Bates smiled knowing that if he could talk Marty into it, that meant that Rivera would have a newly minted lawyer who didn't know his way out of a paper bag and his mother would have the best he could afford.

Callen told them about the last thing Caroline had said to Deeks and Kensi looked shocked.

"I need to go." She said looking at Hetty for permission.

The older woman nodded, "I think more than anything right now Mr. Deeks needs his home."

Kensi looked for a second and rushed out of the building to find him.

Callen looked over at Hetty, "What do you mean, should we be taking him home then?"

Kensi ran down the dock stopping a few yards behind him.

"Marty…" she called softly.

He didn't turn but the slight shake of his shoulders let her know that he was sobbing.

She knelt down behind him and wrapped her arms around him allowing him to turn his face into her arm and completely break down without him seeing the hurt on her face at his pain.

"It's her not you….you are loved Marty. Your ...The Deeks' love you. I love you." she whispered into the top of his head. "Don't let her hateful words destroy the man I love."

Deeks held her tighter her mere presence a rock for him.

"Hetty says I should bring you home." Kensi said.

Marty smiled slightly, her words pulling his mind away from the deep water in front of him.

"Kens, with you I am home. You are my home, my life, my safety and my love. There is no place else I want to be."

Inside the boatshed Hetty turned to the others.

"Kensi is his home. together they will get through this and together they will heal and together we will all go on." she vowed with a smile.


End file.
